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Biomedical subjects

Michael W Ross

Publications and source records attributed to Michael W Ross.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Concordance between sexual behavior and sexual identity in street outreach samples of four racial/ethnic groups.

BACKGROUND: There is a discrepancy between self-reported sexual identity and sexual behavior. The magnitude of this discrepancy is unclear, as is its variation across race/ethnicity and gender. GOAL: The goal of the study was to assess the range of discrepancy in self-reported sexual identity and sexual behavior in men and women of four racial/ethnic groups. STUDY DESIGN: Self-reported data on sexual identity (homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual) and sexual behavior in the past 3 months were collected from 1494 African American, Hispanic, Asian, and white men and women in public congregation places in Houston, Texas. RESULTS: Data indicated that concordance rates between self-reported sexual identity and sexual behavior varied widely across racial/ethnic groups, with the highest rates of concordance in Asian males and females and the lowest in African American females and white males. The largest discordant category was in those self-described heterosexuals who reported partners of both genders. Breakdown of data to exclude those who reported sex trade work or illegal sources of income improved the concordance rates for African American and Hispanic subsamples. CONCLUSION: Data indicate the importance of designing and targeting HIV risk interventions and clinical screening, based on behavior and not reported sexual identity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Gender differences in the consequences of a coercive sexual experience among adolescents attending alternative schools.

Of 490 middle and high school students attending alternative schools who participated in this study, 18.2% of females and 6.7% of males reported a past unwanted sexual experience. Relative to nonabused subjects, female and male adolescents who reported a forced sexual experience were more likely to exhibit externalizing problems such as sexual risk behaviors and internalizing problems such as depression and suicidal thoughts in the past two weeks. Females with a history of a coercive sexual experience also had increased odds of drug and alcohol use, and violence-related behaviors. The magnitude of these associations ranged from a twofold increase to a tenfold increase. Controlling for ethnicity, family income, and family support had less impact on the strength of associations between a forced sexual experience and sexual risk behaviors for females than for males. A forced sexual experience remained significantly associated with depression for females and suicidal thoughts for males. Alcohol use in the past 30 days was the only substance use-related problem that remained significant for females. Violence-related behaviors did not remain significant in the presence of control variables for females. Interventions focusing on adolescents with a history of a coercive sexual experience in general, and in alternative schools in particular, are suggested by these results. More research focusing on the differential impact of a coercive sexual experience on males and females is crucial.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Technological tearoom trade: characteristics of Swedish men visiting gay Internet chat rooms.

This study compares differences among Swedish men who never, occasionally, and frequently use Internet sexual chat rooms. The data indicate that Internet sexual chat room users are significantly different from those who never visit chat rooms. The users were younger, more likely to live at home or with a female partner, bisexual, less open about their homosexuality, less likely to be members of gay organizations, and more likely to engage in unprotected anal intercourse with casual partners. The Internet might be a mean's of approximating homosexual contact. These data suggest that the Internet may be a useful place to reach younger and bisexual men, and those who make sexual assignations, with HIV/STD preventive messages, often before they have publicly come out.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Assessing the HIV/AIDS health services needs of African immigrants to Houston.

This study investigated HIV/AIDS knowledge, risk behaviors and perceptions, and access to services among Black immigrants from more than 20 African nations to Houston, Texas, United States. Three hundred nine respondents completed a 98-item self-administered questionnaire on HIV/AIDS knowledge, risk behaviors, access to services, and stigma. Data analysis revealed this population to be highly educated (70.9% had educational attainment levels beyond high school), with a plurality motivated to immigrate to the United States for academic reasons (45.0%). As a group they displayed a high level of knowledge about modes of HIV transmission. Generally, Christian background respondents had higher knowledge than those of Muslim background. Nevertheless, 36.3% reported that they had never used a condom, with the overwhelming majority of respondents reporting low self-perceived risk for contracting HIV (79.5%). These findings, together with the persistent practice of traditional rituals such as body scarring/tattooing by a significant minority (20.1%), a lack of awareness about vertical transmission (16.3% of women; 29.9% of men), and discouraging scores on an HIV stigma perception scale, suggest that a targeted campaign to raise awareness in this population is warranted.

Africa↗
PubMed2003

The impact of a history of sexual abuse on high-risk sexual behaviors among females attending alternative schools.

The goal of this study was to explore whether a history of sexual abuse is associated with high-risk sexual behaviors among female adolescents attending alternative schools in a large urban city in the southwestern United States, and to examine the role of depression and substance abuse in explaining this association. One hundred eighty-four sexually active female adolescents constituted the sample for this analysis. Forty-nine (26.6%) reported that they were forced to have sex. Having a history of sexual abuse substantially increased sexual risk behaviors. Adolescents reporting a history of sexual abuse, compared to those who did not report such a history, were significantly more likely to have initiated sexual activity (intercourse) before age 14, to have had three or more sexual partners in the last 3 months, and to have had a history of sexually transmitted diseases. These associations remained significant after controlling for age, ethnicity, and family income. Depression and substance abuse did not explain the association between sexual abuse and high-risk sexual behaviors. It seems reasonable to conclude that adolescents with a history of sexual abuse have greater difficulty practicing safe sexual behaviors than do those who have not been sexually abused. Given the prevalence of child sexual abuse and the extent of its impact, it is critical that intervention strategies for adolescent females address the issue of abuse and help them adopt self-protective sexual behaviors. The findings also highlight the importance of targeting adolescents who attend alternative schools.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Postoperative infection with Actinobacillus spp in horses: 10 cases (1995-2000).

OBJECTIVE: To determine features of postoperative wound infection caused by Actinobacillus spp in horses undergoing clean, elective surgery and to evaluate bacterial susceptibility profiles of bacteria isolated. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 10 horses. PROCEDURE: Data were retrieved from medical records and the microbiology laboratory database. RESULTS: 1,604 horses underwent clean, elective surgical procedures during the study period. Of these, 23 (1.43%) had postoperative wound infections, and Actinobacillus spp was isolated from 10 of these 23 (43%). Surgical procedures in these 10 horses included laryngoplasty with ventriculocordectomy (n = 3), arthroscopy (3), desmotomy of the accessory ligament of the superficial digital flexor tendon (2), removal of laryngoplasty prostheses (1), and hygroma resection (1). Seven horses survived, and 3 were euthanatized. All 10 Actinobacillus isolates were resistant to penicillin, and 6 were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. All isolates were susceptible to ceftiofur and gentamicin. During the 5-year period of the study, Actinobacillus organisms were isolated from 35 of 513 (6.8%) samples from the general hospital population submitted for bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: During the study period, Actinobacillus spp was isolated from a higher than expected percentage of horses that developed postoperative wound infections after clean, elective surgery. Susceptibility profiles for these isolates were different from typical susceptibility profiles for Actinobacillus isolates, suggesting that a pattern of resistance may be emerging.

Actinobacillus↗
PubMed2002

Use of a pool-raft system for recovery of horses from general anesthesia: 393 horses (1984-2000).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the pool-raft recovery system protocol and to evaluate the clinical outcome in horses that underwent recovery from general anesthesia using this system. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 393 horses that underwent recovery from general anesthesia in the pool-raft system. PROCEDURE: Anesthetic records were examined from horses recovered from anesthesia in the pool-raft system between January 1984 and December 2000. Complete medical records of horses were examined when available. Information regarding the anesthetic and recovery period was recorded. Horses first recovered from general anesthesia in the pool-raft and, once awake, were transported to a recovery stall and lowered to the floor in a standing position. RESULTS: 351 horses underwent 1 pool-raft recovery, and 42 horses underwent multiple pool-raft recoveries. Most horses were recovered from general anesthesia within the pool-raft system to safeguard repair of a major orthopedic injury. During 471 pool-raft recoveries, 34 (7%) horses had complications within the recovery pool and 62 (13%) had complications within the recovery stall. Deaths resulted from complete failure of internal fixation, pulmonary dysfunction, or a combination of pulmonary dysfunction and fixation failure in 2% (10/471) of horses that underwent pool-raft recoveries. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The pool-raft system is a good option for recovery from general anesthesia. Although not a fail-safe system, it appears to decrease the complications of recovering horses in a high-risk category. Potential disadvantages of this system are added expense and manpower necessary in building, maintenance, and usage, as well as size limitations of the raft itself.

Anesthesia Recovery Period↗
PubMed2002

Sexuality and health challenges: responding to a public health imperative.

Sexuality is associated with a number of public health imperatives to prevent disease or disability or, if prevention is not possible, to treat and reduce the burden of disease as expeditiously as possible. With the advent of modern testing technology and better sampling of populations, the burden of sexually transmissible infections, sexual assault, and sexual disability have become more apparent. Presented here are U.S. data on the public health dimensions of human sexuality and the evidence for the urgent need to address the magnitude of sexually related public health problems.

Persons with Disabilities↗
PubMed2002

Effective targeted and community HIV/STD prevention programs.

Community interventions and interventions targeting specific groups at risk of STDs/HIV have demonstrated significant impacts on sexual behavior, particularly condom use and safer sex. The scientific evidence suggests the factors that make these interventions particularly effective include the establishment of community, including business and CBO partnerships; maintainance of the intervention post-research funding; and buy-in by the community or target group. The modification of risky normative beliefs through the use of opinion leaders and role models, and through intervention delivery by peer educators, is an important facet of such interventions. Interventions delivered by health professionals, absent a community base, appear to be unsuccessful. Where cultures or subcultures are targeted, the close involvement of such groups in the design and delivery of messages is critical to their success. Diffusion of interventions through existing social networks further extends the intervention into the community and acts to reinforce and maintain changes in peer norms toward safer sexual behavior. The available data confirm that community or medical infrastructure-based interventions are effective in changing sexual behavior and can reach a wider range of the population than face-to-face programs if they incorporate peer educators as role models in modifying norms, and if diffusion of the intervention is integral to the design.

Community-Institutional Relations↗
PubMed2002

Sexual risk behaviours and STIs in drug abuse treatment populations whose drug of choice is crack cocaine.

We investigated sexually transmissable infection (STI) prevalence in 407 drug users in three drug treatment programmes in two Texan cities and associated demographic and sexual behaviours. Data analysis focused on differences between those for whom crack cocaine was the drug of preference compared with other drugs, since crack is associated with sexual arousal and a sex for drugs economy. Data indicate that having crack as a drug of preference is significantly associated with increased levels of previous STIs, previous drug treatment, African-American race, selling or buying sex for drugs or money, and increased infection markers for syphilis, chlamydia and herpes simplex-2. Crack preference was also significantly associated with lower rates of injecting drugs or sharing injection equipment and hepatitis C infection markers. Crack preference in heterosexual respondents was significantly associated with increased partner numbers in the past four weeks, more female partners for men and more vaginal sex contacts for men. Analysis of sex differences comparing those for whom crack was the preferred versus nonpreferred drug indicated that female crack users were significantly more likely to engage in oral sex. This supports previous ethnographic data suggesting that oral sex is a common mode of sex for drugs exchange in crack houses. In 7.4% of the total sample (14.4% of the crack-preferring sample), treatable STIs were detected. These data suggest that drug users generally, and crack-using populations in particular, in drug treatment programmes should be routinely screened for STIs as an integral part of drug treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

A randomized controlled intervention trial of a sexual health approach to long-term HIV risk reduction for men who have sex with men: effects of the intervention on unsafe sexual behavior.

This controlled prospective study assessed the effectiveness of a sexual health approach to HIV prevention for men who have sex with men (MSM). Participants (N = 422 Midwestern MSM) were randomly assigned to the intervention group, who participated in a 2-day comprehensive human sexuality seminar designed to contextually address long-term risk factors and cofactors, or to the control group, who watched 3 hours of HIV prevention videos. Risk behavior during the preceding 3 months was measured at baseline, 3-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up. Any unprotected anal intercourse outside a long-term seroconcordant relationship was the dependent variable. Of the total, 14%-24% of the participants were considered at risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. At the 12-month follow-up, the control reported a 29% decrease in the use of condoms during anal intercourse; the intervention group reported an 8% increase (t = 2.546; p = .015). The sexual health seminars appear a promising new intervention at significantly reducing unprotected anal intercourse between men.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Differences between chat room and e-mail sampling approaches in Chinese men who have sex with men.

In a study to determine sampling differences between Internet sites, we obtained data on 353 men who have sex with men in Chinese gay chat rooms and through e-mail web sites. Respondents were approached by the investigator and agreed to fill out an anonymous questionnaire on their Internet use and sexual activity. All materials and contacts were in Chinese characters. Data indicated that there were few differences between the chat room and Internet samples, but that those using e-mail appear to be more isolated, more homosexually-identified (rather than bisexual), have more experience with casual partners on a number of sexual activities, and were less likely to carry condoms and to have safe sex. E-mail respondents were more likely to want to discuss HIV/AIDS prevention on a web site or other site. These data suggest that the two recruiting methods are largely comparable in respondent characteristics, but that e-mail respondents are likely to be more isolated and at higher HIV risk than chat room participants.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Misperceptions about HIV transmission among heterosexual African-American and Latino men and women.

This research was conducted to identify myths and misperceptions about HIV/AIDS and barriers to risk reduction among heterosexual African-American and Latino-American men and women in Houston, Texas. Sixty four Latino-American and 69 African-American men and women, aged 13 to 59 years, participated in 10 and 11 focus groups, respectively. Each group was audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using theme and domain analysis. The data confirmed the existence of myths and misperceptions among both groups about HIV/AIDS, specifically that HIV is an agent of genocide, suspicion of government information, belief that one can identify risky partners by odor and appearance, that partners' reported histories are accurate, significant misperceptions as to the meaning of "safe sex" (particularly in women), and belief that specific classes of people (not including oneself) are at risk for HIV. These data strongly suggest that concentration on narrow targeting of misinformation common in particular minority populations is important in the development of HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Empathic communication between dental professionals and persons living with HIV and AIDS.

We studied changes in the affective and empathic responses of sixty-three dental school faculty, students, and staff to people with HIV/AIDS following an HIV/AIDS training session. Empathic response was measured using a modification of the Gallop Staff Patient Interaction Scale, with five statements to which the provider responded at baseline and three times during and after the training. Data were subjected to theme analysis and analysis of empathic level of response, where a theme is a central idea that can be identified by expressed language. Results indicated that themes of provider response included the role and importance of maintaining health, reassurance, comfort, and hope. Negative responses were rare, accounting for only 3 percent of responses. Following the training, themes were expressed more fully but usually did not change. Changes in level of empathy usually paralleled changes in themes. These data describe the measurement of empathy in dental providers dealing with people with HIV/AIDS and changes in the themes and levels of empathy following an HIV/AIDS training session.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1981

The ethics of experiments on higher animals.

It has been demonstrated over the last decade that some higher animals can learn sign language and communicate with humans. This finding radically alters some earlier conceptions of animals as being non-sentient, and forces a re-evaluation of the use of higher animals in research. The ethics of using animals are examined in this paper in relation to postulated levels of consciousness, and in relation to experimental design and experimental goals. In particular, an attempt is made to classify experimental situations with regard to potential psychological trauma, and to examine in detail the ethics of using higher animals in psychological research and situations in which such use can be justified. Analysis concentrates on the scientific ramifications of ethical use of animals, and concludes that in the majority of cases, ethical treatment and scientific approach are synonymous.

Animal Care Committees↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dorsal displacement of the soft palate in 92 horses during high-speed treadmill examination (1993-1998).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the occurrence of dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) during high-speed treadmill (HSTM) exercise in racehorses, and determine treatment efficacy relative to the endoscopic findings observed during resting and HSTM endoscopic examination. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. Animals-Ninety-two racehorses (74 Thoroughbreds, 18 Standardbreds). METHODS: The signalment, history (clinical and race), treatments, and video recordings made during resting and HSTM endoscopy were reviewed in 92 racehorses that developed DDSP during HSTM exercise. Only horses that completed 3 starts before and after HSTM examination were included in performance-outcome analysis. Statistical associations were made between the independent variables (the historical findings and the resting and HSTM endoscopic findings) and performance outcome. RESULTS: Forty-five horses (49%) displaced their palate in an uncomplicated manner, whereas the other horses either had another upper-respiratory abnormality in association with DDSP (35) or displaced after swallowing (12). Although respiratory noise was not recorded during HSTM exercise, only 57 horses (62%) that developed DDSP during HSTM examination had a history of abnormal upper-respiratory noise. For the 45 horses that met the criteria for performance outcome analysis, there were no independent variables recorded during resting or HSTM endoscopy that had a significant association with performance outcome. Treatment for DDSP varied by clinician. Overall, 29 horses (64%) had improved average earnings per start after diagnosis and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-five horses (38%) that had DDSP during HSTM endoscopy had no previous history of abnormal upper-respiratory noise, and 74 (80%) had no structural abnormalities noted on resting endoscopic examination. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: HSTM examination is an excellent tool for diagnosis of DDSP and the manner in which it occurs. DDSP did not occur similarly in all horses, and was often associated with another upper-respiratory abnormality. Thus, it is unlikely that a single treatment can be applied effectively for all horses that experience DDSP. Both surgical and medical treatments can be beneficial in improving a horse's performance after a diagnosis of DDSP is made. Neither resting nor HSTM endoscopic findings were clearly prognostic.

Animals↗